Great TreasuresGreat Treasuresof Historyof History

The Tomb ofThe Tomb ofPharaoh TutankhamenPharaoh Tutankhamen

• Found in 1922 by British archaeologist Howard Carter

The Dead Sea ScrollsThe Dead Sea Scrolls

• Originally discovered in 1946 by Bedouin shepherds

• Scholars took interest and the caves were explored from 1946-1956

Terracotta WarriorsTerracotta Warriors

• Discovered in 1974 by a group of farmers who were digging wells

• Terracotta soldiers surrounding the tomb of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang

• 2,000 soldiers recovered so far• It is estimated that there may be

more than 8,000 total. • The tomb of Qin Shi Huang

remains untouched.

Bactrian GoldBactrian Gold

• Treasure consists of over 20,000 gold ornaments

• Originally found in 1978 by Soviet archaeologist Victor Sarianidi

• Disappeared during the wars in Afghanistan• Rediscovered in 2003

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/specials/treasure-wars/bactrian-gold-tw/

Środa TreasureŚroda Treasure

• POLAND• First seen during the demolition of a building

in 1985• People started looting the treasure after

another demolition in 1988• Treasure is from Emperor Charles IV in the

1300’s

Panagyuriste TreasurePanagyuriste Treasure

• BULGARIA• Discovered in 1949 by three brothers working

at a tile factory • Thracian treasure from the 3rd and 4th

centuries BCE• Treasure consists of over 6,000 kg of pure gold

Preslav TreasurePreslav Treasure

• BULGARIA

• Found in a vineyard in 1978

• Treasure consisted of Byzantine and Roman artifacts dating from the 3rd to 7th centuries BCE

Pereshchepina TreasurePereshchepina Treasure

• BULGARIA

• Discovered in 1912 by a shepherd boy in the village of Mala Pereshchepina

• The hoard contains over 800 pieces, including jewelry and other artifacts, some dating to 670 BCE

Treasure of NagyszentmiklósTreasure of Nagyszentmiklós

• ROMANIA

• A collection of twenty-three 10th century gold vessels, found in Transylvania in 1791

• Scholars debate the cultural meaning of these pieces

Pietroasele TreasurePietroasele Treasure

• ROMANIA

• Found in 1837

• A late 4th century Gothic treasure

• Represent a significant period in art and culture

Treasure of GourdonTreasure of Gourdon

• Found in France in 1845

• Hoard of Byzantine gold from the 4th and 5th centuries

Treasure of NimrudTreasure of Nimrud

• IRAQ

• Found in 1988 by an Iraqi archeologist

• Treasure consists of golden jewelry, ornaments and other Assyrian artifacts

• Disappeared when Kuwait invaded Iraq

• Rediscovered in 2003 in the basement of the central bank

Sri Padmanabha SwamySri Padmanabha SwamyTemple TreasureTemple Treasure

• INDIA

• Revealed in 2011

• Thought to be the richest temple in the world, valued at over $18 billion! Some estimates say it is worth $40 billion, and the full contents of the temple have yet to be inventoried.

Karun TreasureKarun Treasure

• TURKEY

• The tomb of a Lydian princess, containing 7th century artifacts

• Found by a group of fortune-seekers in 1966 and illegally sold to the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art

Treasure of GuarrazarTreasure of Guarrazar

• Dug up in an orchard near Spain from 1858-1861

• Treasure consists of votive crowns and gold crosses offered by the Visigoths as a gift to the Roman Catholic Church in the 7th century BCE

• Much of the treasure has been lost or stolen